Cable and broadband services provider, Hathway Cable and Datacom, today launched an OTT set top box that will allow users to watch almost all OTT apps on the TV screen besides live TV. Based on Google’s Android TV, the Hathway Play box carries a dedicated YouTube, Netflix and Google Play button on the remote control.

“Indian consumers today use multiple remotes to switch between live TV and OTT and these remotes are not even Bluetooth-enabled. But globally, operators are changing. I think it was a good idea to bring this box to India to make watching experience on OTT TV easy,” Rajan Gupta, MD, Hathway, told Business Line .

Today, consumers are paying the same price for all the channels. “Top 25 per cent of the consumers can be segmented through this box,” he added.

Priced at Rs 2,999, the box requires a broadband connection for OTT viewing and will not be available off the shelf. It can be upgraded with new Android versions for three cycles, usually spread over seven to eight years. “We have the capacity for a lakh boxes per month and can double it up based on the demand,” Gupta said.

Hathway Play box also offers gaming on big screen for multiple users besides Google assistant through a voice remote for applications like finding web series, setting timers and even placing e-commerce orders. It has an inbuilt Chromecast, which allows users to mirror content from phone to TV.

Hathway also launched India's first Cable Hybrid box, Hathway Ultra Smart HUB, also on the Android platform. It combines linear TV with play services and will be available only for Hathway cable users..

“When we developed Ultra Smart Hub, the most important aspect has been listening to our customers to understand their needs regarding their TV viewing. We see a clear shift in consumption in content today compared to earlier. Indian consumers today want a mix of traditional linear television viewing combined with on-demand or streaming services. With the Smart Hub, we have a product that meets their expectations,” Gupta said.

“We are looking forward to leverage Hathway’s extensive broadband and cable network to enable more exciting and useful Android TV experience for consumers,” said Pranab Mookken, Head Android, Chrome and Play Business Development, India.

Related Topics